I am a plastic surgeon in Little Rock, AR. I used to "suture for a living", I continue "to live to sew". These days most of my sewing is piecing quilts. I love the patterns and interplay of the fabric color. I would like to explore writing about medical/surgical topics as well as sewing/quilting topics. I will do my best to make sure both are represented accurately as I share with both colleagues and the general public.

Followers

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

The concept of “engagement” in healthcare is a difficult one. Traditionally, we’ve had a build it and they will come approach that didn’t encourage preventative care. It also didn’t openly acknowledge the challenges that consumers have in dealing with medication adherence and even understanding the system or their physician’s instructions.

In this week’s edition of Grand Rounds, I looked at submissions and recent posts from several angles on this issue.

One of the most engaging was from the healthAGEnda blog where Amy tells her personal story about being diagnosed with Stage IV inflammatory breast cancer and trying to work though the system. Her focus on patient-centered care and support for the Campaign for Better Care make you want to jump out of your seat and shake the physician she talks about.

. …………

……………………………

A beautiful post from Dr. Bruce Campbell, Reflections in a Head Mirror: Non-Frail

……….Finally, the big question emerged. The daughter took a breath. “Do you really think he could survive a big surgery, Doctor? After all, Dad is 90.”

Their eyes swung toward me. Here was a man who looked a lot younger than the calendar would predict. He still gets outside and walks every day and is fully engaged with his world. But, true enough, he has lived a very long time. …………….

As I opened the door to leave, he stopped me. “Doctor, I realize that I can have the surgery. Thanks for that. I trust you. But, Doctor,” he paused, “should I have the surgery? I am 90-years-old, after all!”

Nominations are now accepted in the comments section of this post. When nominating, please indicate the blog's name and URL, nominating category, as well as your thoughts why this particular blog deserves recognition.

Yesterday I went to the New York Historical Society’s exhibit Breakthrough: The Dramatic Story of the Discovery of Insulin (through January 31; $12 for adult non-members). I know–the title is breathless and leads the witness. But forgive the curators. The “drama” was certainly real, but that’s not what I found most compelling. I was struck by ………

Suppose that just after you finish reading this article, you keel over, dead. Perhaps you’re ready for such an eventuality, in that you have prepared a will or made some sort of arrangement for the fate of the worldly goods you leave behind ………..

This has inspired a variety of entrepreneurs to place bets that, eventually, people will want control over the afterlife of their digital selves. ……. Legacy Locker claims “around 10,000” people have signed up for its digital-estate-management service. Its rivals include DataInherit, a service of DSwiss, “the Swiss bank for information assets” (you can even update your digital-legacy data via its iPhone app), and Entrustet, of Madison, Wis. Last May these three firms sponsored Digital Death Day, an event tacked on to an annual online-identity conference near San Francisco. ……………

I recall with fondness many meetings in 1996-98, when the hospitalist field was still in its infancy. We had invented a new medical specialty, and our gatherings were vibrant and purposeful. We were determined to remake the healthcare system, learn from each other’s triumphs and disasters, and chart a course that would improve the care of hospitalized patients. These were heady times.

I experienced déjà vu last week …... Representing the “traditional” hospitalist field (I never thought I’d say that) were …., and me. …. But the real stars were six leading physicians in new subspecialty hospitalist fields: a neurohospitalist (Dave Likosky), two surgical hospitalists (John Maa and Leon Owens), two ob-gyn hospitalists (Rob Olson and Ken Jacobs), and even an ENT hospitalist, Matt Russell. Here’s what I learned: …….

In the future envisioned by the health policy community, including the leadership of the Amercian College of Physicians and the American Medical Association, patients who want a personal physician, someone they know and trust, who understands and cares about them as individuals will have to pay extra for “concierge” care. Everyone else will migrate to team care from large “Accountable Care Oranizations” (accountable to whom, one may ask—certainly not the patients) …………..

Cutwork is one of the sexiest vintage details out there. It’s also the brainchild of nuns. Go figure. ……..

Though it looks really tricky, cutwork isn’t all that difficult to do. Though you can use a satin stitch on your zigzag machine to complete the outlines or even go nuts with your computerized embroidery machine, the directions below are for doing it the old-fashioned way – by hand! ……….

No comments:

Disclaimer

My purpose in writing my blog is to attempt to provide good solid medical information on topics of my choosing. It is a way to educate myself, my colleagues, and the general public. References will be provided on medical posts, but not on opinion essays or poetry posts. An additional purpose is to share my interest in quilting topics, a way to show my human side.

Any medical information provided by this site is not a replacement for medical diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical advice. It should not be used to treat or diagnose any medical condition. Always seek professional medical consultation by a licensed physician for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions - please, do not ignore your doctor's medical advice based on information written by the author or commenters of this site. Please do not ask me for medical advice, but instead contact a healthcare provider in your area. Anything written about office/hospital situations/events are fictional examples to get a point across. No patient is/will ever be a specific patient (unless given written permission), but a fictional one. To know more about how I handle medical information about patients please link here. Unless, I am praising a colleague, even those will be fictional. Any similarities to you or people you know is purely coincidental. My husband and I, and our dogs are fair game.

In early 2009 I joined the Better Health Network. As part of that Network, I will occasionally be paid for my writing. Those posts will be clearly noted. I will strive to maintain my high ethical standards. If I add any advertising, it will be clearly marked as such.

Privacy Principles

I do not intend to use this blog to collect or dispense private health information on patients. If any patient is used as an explicit example for a posting, I will get that patient's consent in writing to use their story and/or photo. The office is permitted by federal privacy laws to make uses and disclosures of your health information for purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations. However, that is not the intent of this blog. I intend to share information on medical/quilting topics with the general public and my colleagues. This web site does not share or sell any personal information, including your name, address, or email addresses with third parties. Have a blessed day!